Soweto is preparing up to host a brand new music festival that promises to light up the township and put local talent on the spotlight.
The Soweto International Jazz Festival is set to make its debut at the State of the Art Soweto Theatre Festival Complex from the 14th to the 17th of June.
This new music festival is looking to showcase the beauty of African music and culture and provides a great opportunity for cultural exchange.
The Festival also promises to curate a market place featuring local vendors from Soweto and surrounding areas.
The lives of legendary Jazz musician Hugh Masikela and former president Nelson Mandela, on his 100 birthday, will be celebrated at the festival.
International Arts Solutions representative and organizer of the festival, Nolan Baynes, said they intend to make Soweto the official home of the festival.
“We are going to do this for three years, we’ve planted our seeds down we are going to develop this property to make sure that we get the infrastructure correct, we get our curation processes correct, we solidify our partnerships to make this something that can live here and be here for a long time.”
One of the important things the festival is aiming to do is encourage cultural exchange, bringing together different people from different parts of the world to share knowledge and skills especially with the growing appeal of Pan Africanism.
“The idea is not only to keep this festival here but we want to export this to New York, the New Orleans etc,” said Baynes.
The General Manger of Soweto Theatre Nomsa Mazwai said there is no better venue to host this festival than the Soweto Theatre.
“This building is an architectural marvel; this place is absolutely incredible, our facilities are of the highest standard, you can compare us to some of the biggest theatres in the country.
“Soweto is also extremely valuable and so are the people in it. This festival will remind people how incredible they are, how they should see themselves, especially young people and they will see examples of excellence.”
South African Jazz/RnB star Ernie Smith is not only excited by the positive impact the festival will have on Soweto's economy but also what it will do for the growth of Jazz music in the African continent.
“This festival will really just profile and bring into the spotlight that there is a brewing pot of Jazz outside of the westernised culture, that South Africa and Africa has its own voice within the Jazz genre.”
The multi-genres, international artist line-up will feature Grammy Award winning stars such as Third World, Bob James, Deborah Cox, Spyro Gyra, Neville Brothers, South African Jazz/R&B stars, Ernie Smith as well as Zama Jobe and for his first ever performance in South Africa, the legendary Charlie Wilson, alongside the dynamic local gospel artist, Khaya Mthethwa.
Mi Casa, Nasty C, Major League DJs, Sho Madjozi, Leane Dlamini and Lady Zamar complete the list of confirmed artists to grace the festival with more still expected to be added.
